


Captain's First Mate

by randomgirl434



Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Pirate, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-09
Updated: 2016-12-12
Packaged: 2018-06-01 06:27:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,726
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6504445
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/randomgirl434/pseuds/randomgirl434
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“For all of a fortnight, you have declined to even speak, yet now you ask of which I want of you. What a fool! Had you more wits or sense about you, perhaps your father might care about you. A fed prisoner is a waste of rations. I have had numerous opportunity to cut your throat and dispose of you over the side, yet I have not. Why, you might ask? Well I have need of a new first mate and I happen to need an educated man with little risk to me should he need to be disposed of. William, dear sir you fit the bill.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Beginning

**Author's Note:**

> First Work! (which has no update schedule)  
> It might get finished or maybe not, sorry.

    The high seas rolled below his ship, creaking and aching, with the air so saturated with salt you could choke on it. The sun above scorched the backs of his crew and fell like an oppressive weight felt by all. However in the middle of July, no relief is to come. The moods have become surlier and more embittered with each passing day, and Captain Derek Nurse feared without proper rest on land, the whole ship will be set aflame.

  
    “Bring out the prisoner,” he commanded so that the man may be retrieved from the brig and brought forth. It took but a mere 5 minutes for the struggling and writhing man to be dragged in front of where he stood. The crewmate dragging him delivered a swift kick to the body before stepping back. Derek glanced down at the prisoner dressed in rags not fit for pig sty much less the aristocratic garb which it once was. His face and body, cloaked in grime from the naves to the chops, contorted in pain when he nudged his torso before addressing him.

  
     “Has the high and mighty William Poindexter decided to keep his stoic disposition? Or rather would he communicate in a primal tongue like the rest of us bastard pirates?”

  
     Malice flicked across his face as the words fell from the captain’s lips. Derek’s hand quickly drew his rapier from its scabbard and flicked the tip in front of his prisoner’s eyes with a fluid gesture. The thin sword promised not a brutal injury, but a precise debilitation within but a matter of seconds.

  
     “Well pray tell what shall your answer be? Quickly before I grow bored of these unfortunate predispositions you have somehow acquired and entertain myself in some other way. I hate to pigeonhole myself as a rogue, however I simply cannot help it,” he threatens while bringing the rapier ever closer to the bound man at his feet. The tip scrapes along his jaw drawing a thin line of blood. William’s eyes widen in fear flinching away from him.

  
     “I know not what you want from me Captain Sir. I am but the fifth son of a Marquis and will inherit perhaps a small manor and a dowry should I marry. My father has nothing particularly of value and will not even waste his money on a book by a notable player much less his youngest son among 6 others,” whimpered the pitiful noble son.

  
     “For all of a fortnight, you have declined to even speak, yet now you ask of which I want of you. What a fool! Had you more wits or sense about you, perhaps your father might care about you. A fed prisoner is a waste of rations. I have had numerous opportunity to cut your throat and dispose of you over the side, yet I have not. Why, you might ask? Well I have need of a new first mate and I happen to need an educated man with little risk to me should he need to be disposed of. William, dear sir you fit the bill.”


	2. The New Captain

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Backstory Time!
> 
> I made this chapter a little longer. I wish I could write faster and more honestly ugh but you know it is what it is  
> I'll update faster if inspiration hits. Fingers crossed

       Whatever William had expected to hear, surely this was not it, as surprise and a blush traveled from his brown streaked face to the once auburn hair. A pointed look from Derek sent a crewmate to unravel the gnarled bonds from William’s wrists. Derek gave a final assessment of his new first mate before a quick command of “Show him to his quarters and for God’s sake clean him up!” before turning on his heel and strutting away.

       William stood upon his legs weak from ill use and not yet accustomed to the to and fro of the ocean since he had spent the entirety of his time aboard in the brig. The crewmate abruptly stopped in front of him. William caught himself seconds from running into a pirate who beyond any doubt would not take kindly to it. The man had stopped in front of wooden door much like all the others and pried open the door. He pointed to a small basin of water upon the floorboards and clean clothes which rested upon the bed before releasing a grunt and marching off.

       Alone with his thoughts inside his cabin, William pondered a minute. Why would the pirate captain choose him of people? Surely there must have been a larger pool of contenders aboard the ship. Whatever the reason was, William thought, he cannot be trusted. Shaking himself out of his own head, he observed his new quarters. It was completely bare save for a bed, a bureau, and mirror upon the wall. He took a quick glance in the mirror and winced at the sight. His hair was disheveled and in knots, dirt from the brig had somehow collected haphazardly upon his face, and his eyes were red and shot due to lack of sleep. William grabbed the tub of water and the rag beside it and began to collect himself. A ship was going to be much more different than the manor he was used to.

      Derek could hear the dissent among his crew as gossip continued to spread as if they were ladies at a tea party. Numerous times in the past hour a fellow pirate approached him to ask if he really appointed the ginger boy they had found to become his second in command. That was paraphrasing however, nicely paraphrased, as pirates had as much eloquence as they were expected. If Derek had even another year or two in command he would not likely be questioned, yet he was the captain only two years so he supposed it was inevitable.

      Derek never aspired to be the commanding captain of a pirate ship no matter what childhood wish he unknowingly fulfilled. He was an unremarkable child with an unremarkable future. His dear parents expected him to do what was practical and, well, expected like taking an apprenticeship with the cobbler or working in the town shop. He had never been interested in any of those jobs or really anything but a good book now and then. However one day after his 17th birthday, Father and Mother congratulated him on his engagement to a woman he had never met before, and that was that. Derek had to go. As much as he loved his parents he refused to willingly set himself up for a life of misery with a woman he doubted he would understand and her him. So Derek gathered every shilling he had ever earned, the few books he owned, and one set of clothing before heading for the docks.

     Luckily for him an older ship was preparing to leave and he cajoled his way to be a captain’s aid with all the charm Derek could muster. Not until later had Derek realized that the older ship belonged to pirates and the captain was Jack Zimmermann one half of the most fearsome duo on the seas. Truth be told Captain Jack was not what anyone would have expected a pirate captain to be, with his gentle smile and sad blue eyes. Soon he became the captain’s confidant in all things including his proclivities for the same sex. Derek, although surprised, was not as impacted as perhaps he should have been. After that, Jack never failed to talk about Bitty, the ship’s beloved cook. Only a single year later, Jack and Bitty eloped with their share of booty to live in the French colonies in the New World. Unbeknownst to Derek, Jack bequeathed to him his ‘dibs’ which secured the Captain’s hat over any other claim.

      Derek had officially received the title of Captain Nurse of the Falconer.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the time it took to update?

"Oof!"

William stared at the small cabin he had been forced into just a moment before. Compared to the past few weeks in the brig the small, dark room was a palace. Yet, the emptiness of the room, furnished with only a small bed, a chamber pot, a desk, and a chair, struck him with more loneliness than he had experienced in a lifetime 

William dropped himself on the bed, and with his hands in his hands gave a loud sigh.

The creaking of the ship was a familiar friend. Although his father was a noble, his numerous sons each found work to support the household. William found work aboard a scientific vessel launched in the queen's name. An odd choice, certainly, but accommodations and food were paid for, and therefore not a burden onto the family. In any case, the experience may even allow him to survive his current predicament. Captain Derek Nurse.

A rogue known, not for his cunning, ruthlessness, or infamy, but for his lucky streak. Three rumored escapes from the royal navy. Twice due to the rough seas, and once due to naval men stupidity.

A rogue, whom William must defer to.  _How pleasant._

A strong rap came upon the cabin's doors, and without a moment's notice entered the rogue himself. For a pirate his clothes seemed to fit, and his face close shaven. In a different world, one might have believed him of noble blood. 

William rose to meet him.

"Has your room met your high standards, your majesty?" quipped the captain with a smirk splitting his face.

William turned his face before responding "Much nicer than my previous room."

"Well Poindexter, I'm afraid the only one you could cast blame for your previous predicament remains to be yourself. Anyway, I expect to see you in my quarters before dawn as we have much to discuss including your duties and training."

A flash of amusement ran threw William. "Seeing as I am your first mate is Poindexter really the familiarity you're choosing? And for training, I doubt I require as such. Captain."

"Very well. I, as well as all others aboard shall refer to you as Dex. A fitting pirate's name, as Poindexter and William are as snobby as they come. You may refer to me as Captain. I'll see you before dawn for your  _required and necessary_ training. I, myself doubt your ability to handle chamber pots much less this ship's rigging." Once finished, he turned on his heel and shut the door behind with a  _snick_. 

_Any optiminism, _Dex_ had had vanished upon seeing the smirk upon the captain's face. Apparently the brig will be a fond memory come tomorrow._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I appreciate all the kudos and comments and apologize for my crummy lack of attention and motivation .


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